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Why there is nothing new in Lean startup?

Why there is nothing new in Lean startup?

Everybody is hyped about lean startup and MVP, pivoting and etc. for the last 3 years. I really like the lean start up and there is nothing really wrong with the approach. Despite it is hype, it is something that has existed for 400 years.

Let’s have a look, what is inside the package.

Lean start up methodology.

Lean startup is a method for developing businesses and products first proposed in 2011 by Eric Ries. Based on his previous experience working in several U.S. startups, Ries claims that startups can shorten their product development cycles by adopting a combination of business-hypothesis-driven experimentation, iterative product releases, and what he calls validated learning. Ries’ overall claim is that if startups invest their time into iteratively building products or services to meet the needs of early customers, they can reduce the market risks and sidestep the need for large amounts of initial project funding and expensive product launches and failures.

These are the steps to lean start up.

Idea

Build minimum viable product

Measure

Gather Data

Learn

Pivot

Do it all again.

Scientific method

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the scientific method as “a method or procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting in systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.

It has 7 steps.

Define a question

Gather information and resources (observe)

Form an explanatory hypothesis

Test the hypothesis by performing an experiment and collecting data in a reproducible manner

Analyze the data

Interpret the data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting point for new hypothesis

Publish results

Conclusion

There is nothing new. It is the same thing the package is different. They managed to repackage and market something that has been existing since the 17th century.

I think it is awesome and I support and practice Lean start up, I just want to point out that it is not new, despite it is hype.